“I want to thank the President for signing the Bipartisan Budget Act into law. It doesn’t go as far as I’d like, but it’s a firm step in the right direction. This law is proof that both parties can work together. We can put aside our differences and find common ground. This law will reduce the deficit—without raising taxes—and cut spending in a smarter way. And so I want to congratulate Senator Murray and my colleagues on this modest, but solid achievement.

“In the year ahead, I hope to build on the progress we’ve made. We need to find ways to make divided government work and to grow our economy. We need to think anew about the challenges facing our communities. With millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet, there is much more work to do.”